Ultraman 80
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Ultraman 80 is a Japanese tokusatsu TV show and is the 9th show in the Ultra Series. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, Ultraman 80 was aired between April 2, 1980 to March 25, 1981, with a total of 50 episodes. 80 is the last Ultraman produced in Japan until Ultraman Tiga, 15 years later.
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[edit] Plot
Ultraman 80 comes to Earth as one of the newest members of the Ultra Space Garrison, in the form of Takeshi Yamato. After a five-year hiatus since the departure of Ultraman Leo, monsters started reappearing again (notice how the animated Ultraman Joe is ignored in this time line).
Yamato's theory is that monsters are born of human wickedness, hatred, or sorrow. He decides to become a teacher at Sakura-ga-Oka Middle School, and serves as a science teacher, as well as the home room teacher responsible for 1st Year, E Division. He is absolutely dedicated to his students, for he is there to teach them not just about science, but also about life. Unfortunately, he has a penchant for being late, so he does things like promising his students to walk to class on his hands if he is late next time, or even promising to resign as a teacher (episode 2). He even starts up a band with his students and jams on an electric guitar (episode 7). His over-enthusiasm quickly wins the loyalty of his students, but often makes him an easy target for the prim Deputy Schoolmaster Kumi Nozawa. Yamato loves rice omlettes and orange juice. He also loves Kyohko Aihara, the gym teacher, but loses all confidence in himself and sense of composure in her presence.
Yamato dons an orange and silver suit to moonlight at UGM (Utility Government Members) after school and on Sundays. He gets the job from Captain Ohyama because they are both present at a park in episode 1, looking for signs of new monster activity. Ohyama is happy to meet someone who believes in the re-emergence of monsters. Even his own team members had their doubts, since none of them have any combat experience like their veteran captain. At school, only Principal Ken-no-suke Hayashi knows of Yamato's extracurricular activities.
80 has one of the more difficult human situations of any Ultraman. The narrator reminds us, sometimes more than once per episode, that if anyone finds out he is Ultraman 80, he must leave Earth. Yet, he must still balance UGM and school, all the while hiding his true identity, while nursing a crush on Aihara. It is no wonder that he is often running to get to class on time. One has to wonder when he has time to grade papers. Though determined to teach his students about responsibility and integrity, he has to lie and break promises constantly to maintain this secret multiple personality.
Takeshi's school life was blown off after episode 12 (even the Aihara angle loses steam after he botches a date with her). The school plays a far smaller (nonexistent) role for the remainder of the series, to be sure. Takeshi seems to become a full-time UGM member.
Late in the series (in episode 43), 80 is joined on Earth by the queen of the Land of Light (the Ultra Star), Yurian. She originally comes to Earth to warn 80 that the Great King Galtan is planning to assassinate him, but she ends up sticking around for awhile and joins UGM. She even gets to transform and fight in episode 49. In fact, Agent Emi Johno is killed off from the series to make way for her. Several other team members rotate in and out of the cast, so by the end of the series, the team doesn't look much at all like how it started.
Ultimately, 80 and Yullian do return home. In the final episode, UGM destroy the monster all by themselves. In the end, all the UGM members knew that Yamato and Ryoko were 80 and Yullian as both of them wish farewell to their friends. Yamato and Ryoko change into 80 and Yurian as they both return to M78.
[edit] Ultraman 80 Stats
- Height: 50 meters
- Weight: 44,000 tons
- Flight Speed: mach 9
- Running Speed: mach 1.3
- Home Planet: The Land of Light, Nebula M78
- Human Form: Takeshi Yamato
- Transformation Item: Bright Stick
- Weapons:
- Saxium Ray: L-style.
- Buckle Beam: A weapon 80 fires from his beltless buckle.
- Straight Flash: Fired from his fingertips.
- Ultra Arrow Shot: A stream of laser arrows.
- Ultra Spiral Beam: Green energy pulses shot from both hands.
- Ultra Ray Lance: A beam javelin.
- Eyespot: Beam shot from his eyes.
- Medical Power: Has healing powers.
- Ultra Reduction: He can shrink to any size.
- 400-mon Kick: "mon" is a Japanese shoe size.
- Can lock arms and spin with Yullian to create a deadly windmill with their bodies.
[edit] UGM Members
- Captain Kazuki Ohyama
- Chief Junkichi Itoh
- Takeshi Yamato
- Hiroshi Tajima
- Emi Johno
[edit] Trivia
- A lot of vintage Ultraman monsters return toward the end of the series, including Red King, Gomola, and a couple of Baltans. Also, Barrack Ship is reminiscent of the monster ship, Iron Rocks, of Ultra Seven. Tetsuon is a lot like Kanegon. And of course, Mechagillas is a lot like Mecha Godzilla.
- Guest appearances from previous Ultra beings are extremely rare in this series, which is a clear departure from the excesses of Ultraman Taro. 80 is also distanced from the Ultra Brothers concept...by and large, he is a lone warrior, and for the most part, he takes care of himself just fine.
- A follow-up series was not created in 1981. Instead, Tsuburaya Productions used a comic book idea to create Andro Melos, a mysterious armor-clad Ultra warrior, for use in Televi-kun magazine. A long dry spell ensued, with no new Ultra series produced in Japan until Ultraman Tiga.
[edit] Cameos
- Episode 38: The Ultra Father, although the only help he gives 80 is some words of encouragement.
- Episode 41: Hiroko Sakurai (Fuji from Ultraman) plays a mother of a young boy obsessed with vintage Zero fighter planes. Her husband is also obsessed, but with golf.
- Episode 44: 80 does battle with an Ultra Seven doll that comes to life.
[edit] Crossovers
- Ultraman Story: A young Ultraman Taro watches footage of 80 fighting Red King to learn how to become an Ultra warrior. This movie throws the original series timeline out the window, since 80 came to Earth long after Ultraman Taro retired.
| Ultra Series | |
| Showa era series: Ultraman | Seven | Return of | Ace | Taro | Leo | 80 | |
| Heisei era series: Tiga | Dyna | Gaia | Cosmos | Nexus | Max | Mebius | |
| Ultra Q: Ultra Q | Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy | |
| Specials: The Ultraman (anime) | Ultraman Neos (Direct-to-DVD) | |
| Movies: Zearth | ULTRAMAN | |
| Co-productions: The Adventure Begins (with USA) | Towards the Future (with Australia) | The Ultimate Hero (with USA) | |
